Coming into my faith I commonly heard people longing to always be “on fire for God,” it even happens to be incorporated in the lyrics of a worship song I enjoy that says, “set a fire down in my soul- that I can’t contain- that I can’t control- I want more of you God.” Being a person who constantly asks questions and seeks rooted definitions; I was unsatisfied with not having clarity on what it truly meant or looked to be “on fire for God”. Over the past four years my knowledge over this has been expanded, learning how to kindle this fire and discovering the intensity of being overtaken with faith.
To be honest I was not sure if I had been on fire for God before. When hearing terms such as being on a “camp high” after mission trips or retreats, not being a “lukewarm Christian,” and to strive to be “genuine,” one can kind of get lost in the definitions. Was I simply on a long-term camp high from my mission trips? Was being a genuine Christian the same as being on fire? I heard a quote once, debatably said by John Wesley, that stated something along the lines that when you are set on fire with passion, people would come from miles to watch you burn. Although at first sounded quite morbid and I had images popping up of the Salem Witch Trials, I discovered beauty within it. A fiery passion for God will draw others into discovering his love.
In my personal walk, I had been keeping my fire little, containing it in a small box. Though I practiced living missionally, spoke my testimony and devotions to congregations, and devoted the majority of my time to helping people in any capacity, I kept myself comfortable. It was on my first international mission trip to Costa Rica that I discovered what it looked like to seek being set on fire by God. These people I came to love were unlike anyone I had met before. Apart from the intensity of their hugs (which you would be greeted by upon every encounter), the freeness of their worship, and their faith that stayed strong through spiritual warfare, witchcraft, and the day-to-day of living in a place like Costa Rica, the most impressive aspect of these Costa Ricans was the love that flowed out of them. The boldness they possessed to tell their neighbors and even us unknown Americans, “Te amo porque Jesús te ama”. If you are anything like me you need that translated. This means, “I love you because Jesus loves you”. Living a passionate life completely fueled by God is what these people strive for everyday in every action and word. Their knowledge of God’s word, their practicing a form of prayer in which they imagine talking to God face-to-face, their boldness in not holding any part of their faith back are the flames of these people that drew me in. I craved to know more and to have these qualities of Jesus that I had lacked.
Maybe I should take note to write an article over my personal experiences in Costa Rica because there may be blank spaces coming up. After having experience with a paranoia induced anxiety attack while climbing a mountain rumored for witchcraft, disappearances, and gang disputes, being prayed over in tongues, and having a somewhat take over by the Holy Spirit in which I cannot recall five minutes of a very important part of the trip for me I felt like I had finally found comfort in the uncomfortable. I departed from Costa Rica with tear-filled eyes, a grown heart, unbelievable memories, and spiritual kindling to be lit on fire. Of course there are specific ways that I myself must stoke my personal fire, but there are basic steps to take to have this fire for God.
1). Reading the word of God.
Written in Matthew 4:4 we can see that we are not to live off of merely bread but from the very word of God. This is still something I struggle with daily, especially when the Bible is basically one of my textbooks as a Christians Studies major. Having a relationship with God must involve more than reading along in church on Sundays and Wednesdays, doing your daily devotional while your half awake morning or night, or having a verse of the day app. A fire for God lights a hunger inside you that causes you to crave and devour his word while searching for his voice in the thin pages to be sustained by its meaning and truth.
2). Prayer.
In 1 Chronicles 16:11 it is said to look towards the Lord and seek his face always. A direct call to God is needed to stay sane and to stay on fire for him. Using the same breath God breathed into you to praise him and converse with him. Blowing on the fire to stir up the wildness of the flames. Humbling bringing yourself to the feet of God. Spending time in fervent prayer immerses your soul into the presence of God allowing it to come ablaze. God is not just a therapist, but an Almighty friend.
3). Wildness.
John 8:32 tells us that when truth is known freedom kicks in. The term wildfire in this sense does not need to be a terrifying thing, but a stunningly beautiful comparison to God here on earth. Containment keeps fires small and can even squash them into nothing but a sizzle. This is not how we are called to live and witness as believers. Towards the beginning of my faith I had a worship song stuck in my head constantly, “Wildfire” by Mike Romero Band. I have witnessed people worship through this song with wild dance, stomp claps, and a fist pump to emphasis the drummers wailing “TING” between the lines, “light up the night” and “with a Holy flame”. This song encouraged people to worship in the freedom granted by God and to have that fire inside of them ignited not be contained, but to light up the night with an unfailing love. It takes boldness and stepping aside from the fear of how others will perceive you when you are a wildfire for God.
4). Living it out.
“Do not stifle the Holy Spirit” 1 Thessalonians 5:19. Logically speaking a fire alone is not as strong as it could be. Living in genuine Christian community and fellowship with one another paves roads for God’s wildfire within you to reach far places. Do not resist the Holy Spirit but fall into it surrounded by people who support and love you. Do not try to force the Holy Spirit to work a certain way in you. Allow the parts of your heart frozen from shame, bitterness, and resentment to be red-hot for God. Allow yourself the use of your passions and talents to serve others. Invest in your God-given abilities that they may be used to glorify. Rid yourself of timidity that you may worship God with a fire surrounding you, while setting others ablaze as well. Do not fear judgment for lifting your hands high, bowing down, or flat out putting your face to the floor to worship. In Costa Rica a missionary by the name of Marlon encouraged me with something that will forever stick with me always. “Do not be ruined by people calling the way you love Jesus strange. I praise Jesus for the strange ones, for they set things on fire”.
